Man found guilty of murder, sentenced to life in prison

A Jackson County jury on Wednesday found Octavius Montego Black guilty of capital murder of Betty Vaughans.

Judge Robert Krebs sentenced Black, 35, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“Betty Vaughans was a truly a special person and her murder was senseless,” District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said. “The defendant choked her and ran her over just to take her vehicle … her loss is felt throughout the Moss Point community.”

The case was prosecuted by McIlrath and Assistant District Attorneys Justin Lovorn and Nick Mobley.

“I hope this life sentence will serve those who were close to Ms. Betty in their attempt to heal,” Lovorn said in the press release.

The trial lasted three days.

This story was originally published August 3, 2022 at 5:10 PM.